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TORONTO – So it wasn't exactly Larry Barnett ignorning contact between Ed Armbrister and Carlton Fisk in the 1975 World Series, but Jarrod Saltalamacchia would've appreciated some help from home plate umpire Clint Fagan tonight.

Fagan declined to call umpire's interference on a third-inning pickoff attempt, and Saltalamacchia's errant throw – which he says was the result of striking Fagan's mask – plated two runs that proved pivotal in the Blue Jays' 9-7 victory.

“My elbow hit the umpire's mask,” Saltalamacchia said. “I've done that in the past, but no one's ever said anything and I didn't really make a stink about it because I didn't know the ruling. But now I know, once it hits the mask, it's got to be a dead ball. It definitely, definitely hit, but that's part of the game.”

Section 5.09(b) of the official rulebook clearly states that umpire's interference occurs when, “The plate umpire interferes with the catcher’s throw attempting to prevent a stolen base or retire a runner on a pick-off play; runners may not advance.”

The Red Sox didn't really argue the play – which had a chance of nabbing Jose Bautista off first – until after the inning. But manager John Farrell said Fagan told him Saltalamacchia didn't connect with his mask until his follow-through, and that therefore, the contact didn't impact the play.

“He had told John that I hit him on the follow-through, which is kind of impossible,” Saltalamacchia said. “I told him that when my arm is going back is when I felt it hit. At that point, I was already getting ready to go forward, so I couldn't hold up.”

Farrell had no problem with the play design, which could've stolen an out for starter Jon Lester at a point when he was struggling to find the plate.

“We had a back-door pick right there, and aggressive as Bautista can be off a given base, that's not an ill-advised play,” Farrell said. “They had a timing play on and unfortunately we didn't execute.”